The Senate passed a healthcare omnibus policy bill which includes noncontroversial provisions for three areas: the MN Department of Health (MDH), health-related licensing boards, and general health care. There are several sections pertaining to the Covid-19 emergency.

“Good, bipartisan work shaped this bill,” said Senator Scott Jensen (R-Chaska). “In these times, it is particularly important that we craft thoughtful and responsible legislation to reform and improve our health care system. Transparency continues to be our primary focus.”

The bill included the following provisions: 

• Peacetime emergency management allowing trained pharmacists to prescribe self-administered hormonal contraceptives, nicotine replacement medications, and the eventual COVID-19 vaccine, as they do with the regular flu vaccine
• Hospital transparency is a focus of the legislation, as well. It requires hospitals to provide an itemized description of billed charges for medical services and goods the patient received during the hospital stay, within 30 days of discharge. Providers are also required to produce medical records within 30 calendar days of a written request.
• Medical cannabis is affected by the bill, as production and distribution facilities will be subject to annual, surprise inspections.
• Finally, the omnibus bill expands medical assistance for certain treatments, adds advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to statutes benefitting other medical professionals, and prohibits of issuing opioid prescriptions for more than 30 days.

The bill passed with a bipartisan, unanimous vote.